Living with my dude friend from high school has led to a number of interesting exchanges. Sure, we've
known each other since we were fourteen, but you get to know each other in a completely different way
once you're sharing a refrigerator and shower. For example, he thinks I eat an insane amount of yogurt; I
can't believe he buys the crappiest discount safety razors ("This touches your face?!") when he uses a
$23 moisturizer. Our most recent "WTF?" moment occurred when, while chit-chatting in the kitchen, I
proceeded to clean my phone and headphones with rubbing alcohol and a paper towel. His mouth was
actually agape. "What are you doing?" he asked.

To me, it was obvious: I was disinfecting something that comes into frequent contact with the inside of
my purse, my fingers, and my face. As someone with a history of acne—that's just as long as our
friendship—I have anecdotal evidence that my precautionary measure has helped: I've had fewer
breakouts on my cheeks and chin since I started cleaning my phone a few times a week. (And the
headphones I do after every workout.) But don't just take my word for it, New York City dermatologist
Patricia Wexler agrees: "Phones are a breeding ground for bacteria—we touch them repeatedly with
dirty hands and often hold them to our faces for long periods of time, " she says. "That could certainly
cause breakouts." She recommends cleaning your phone daily with Purell hand santizer or Lysol
disinfectant spray. Ha! Who's crazy now, Bro-Bro?

Readers, do you have beauty tricks that your friends think are nuts? How do you prevent breakouts?